Architectural Elements

To contribute to Raz's Architectural Elements photo challenge, I rooted through some of my old photos, trying to see if I had any of the work to the Theatre Royal, Bath, from years ago (about 25 years or more ago?). I couldn't find any, but I found some on the net (which included little old me!!!), and most were on the website of fellow carver, Lawrence Tindall, and here they are, ripped off from Lawrence without his permission.

That's me on the left. You can see how long ago the photo was taken from the colour of my hair - almost black. Lawrence is on the right, and we are both carving replacement lyres (not 'lyers' as you have spelt it, Lawrence) which go either side of the huge coat of arms below. We are doing it on site, in the old tradition.

This facade is now on the side of the main entrance, but - in the early 19th century - it was the front entrance, and had a sweeping drive for carriages to drop off the gentry. I restored a fair bit of the British coat of arms, and I modeled the two tails and the unicorn's horn, which Lawrence and me cast in aluminium - we had built a small foundry in my workshop at the time, so we were able to cast metals, although I think this was the only commercial job we did.

We got to meet a lot of theatrical stars whilst we were there - or rather, they met us, as our ladders went right past the dressing-room windows. The stories I could tell ...